Watching the Greens Kill Australia

By Alan Caruba

Fortunately for America, President Obama’s effort to impose a cap-and-trade law on carbon dioxide emission failed in a Democrat controlled Congress that saw how disastrous its impact would have been in a time of economic distress.

It would have imposed higher costs on everything involving the use of energy and would have done so on the basis of the all the lies about global warming, greenhouse gases, and Obama’s anti-energy policies. Using the Environmental Protection Agency, he has been bludgeoning the coal industry and, via the Department of the Interior, thwarting the exploration and extraction of oil on all of the vast land holdings of the federal government.

As I have often noted, there hasn’t been any planetary warming since 1998 when Earth began a normal cycle of cooling and carbon dioxide plays no role whatever in either warming or cooling. It is a mere 0.038 percent of the atmosphere.

For several years now I have been watching the destruction of the Australian economy by its elected leaders. David Archibold, a climate scientists and energy analyst based in Perth is a visiting fellow of the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. where he teaches a course in strategic energy policy. On July 1, he gave a speech at an anti-carbon tax rally in Sydney.

“There is no doubt that we are ruled by evil men and evil women who are fully aware of the damage they are doing to our economy, and to the warp and weft of our society, and who seem to be in a manic rush to do as much damage as possible in the time left to them,” Archibold told those attending the rally. Sadly, they already knew the truth of this.

An Australia friend of mine recently wrote to say “the Australian carbon dioxide tax—or as our lying government calls it ‘price on carbon’—came into effect on July 1, 2012. Already our electricity prices have risen by up to 20%, refrigerant gas gone up 300%. Landfill and tip fees have increased by 30%, food is up. The tax has been imposed on EVERY item we buy in some form or other”, adding that “I wouldn’t be surprised if you get a similar tax if Obama wins in November. We are slowly destroying our economy.”

A word about refrigerant gases; these are required for your home and car air conditioning, your refrigerator, and for a stand alone freezer. Most food items, liquid or solid—particularly meats, poultry and fish—require refrigerated transport. The Australian carbon tax adds thousands of dollars to these costs of operation and affects everyone.

The Greens, whether as part of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) or as groups in various nations, have done everything they can to thwart energy use, to replace oil, coal and natural gas with the useless, costly “renewable energies” of wind, solar, and biofuels. Humans, they insist, are destroying the Earth, but it is the Greens who are destroy Australia these days.

Australia is a case history of what happens when Greens and those in power join hands to use the instrument of government to destroy a successful nation. As Sam Fielding recently reported in an article on AmericanThinker.com, Australia went from a thriving economy under former Prime Minister John Howard who served from 1996 to 2007, only to elect Kevin Rudd’s left-wing Labor Party in 2007. By 2009 “a six year run of budget surpluses gave way to the largest deficits in modern (Australian) politics. His deputy was Julia Gillard who challenged him and won election, promised that “there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.”

If this reminds you of all the promises President Obama made prior to taking office and plunging the U.S. into $17 trillion of debt, it is exactly the kind of duplicity that has ruined Australia when Gillard engineered the controversial tax.

Obama visited Australia in November 2011 and expressed support for the carbon tax saying, “I think that’s good for the world…I actually think, over the long term, it’s good for our economics as well, because it is my strong belief that industries, utilities, individual consumers—we’re all going to have to adapt how we use energy and how we think about carbon.”

As is the case of the IPCC,  many of Australia’s scientists were corrupted. Archibold said, “As a scientist, what saddens me is that most of our scientific institutions have failed in their duty to serve and protect the Australian people” referring to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, government bureaus, and the universities—“these have all failed us and sold their souls for a handful of silver.”

“The notion of global warming,” said Archibold, “was concocted to provide a cloak of scientific respectability for a massive socialist redistribution of wealth.” If that sounds like what is happening in America today, you’re right.

My Australian friend also took note of a mining tax that has been imposed, not unlike Obama’s attacks on the U.S. mining industry. America sits atop enough coal to provide electricity for hundreds of years to come, but it is being systematically destroyed. “Australia is in a world of hurt and all so unnecessary. See what socialist, radical, green, lefty governments bring us?”

Yes, look at Australia and see what lies ahead if Obama is given four more years to complete his destruction of America.

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An expensive catfight  -- expensive for the taxpayer

RTA forced to rehire lawyer in $1.5m case

THE state government has been forced to reinstate a senior RTA lawyer after illegally sacking her for questioning the pay scales of colleagues, in a case that has cost taxpayers $1.5 million.

After one of the most expensive legal defences mounted by a NSW government against an unfair dismissal claim, it has been ordered to give the woman her job back and pay $300,000 in back pay.

In its judgment, the Industrial Relations Commission also questioned the evidence of one of the government's most highly paid public servants, Helen Vickers.

Lawyer Rosanna Ganino was sacked in 2009 for, among other things, allegedly accessing a document that showed the pay rates of fellow lawyers, including the wife of ALP heavyweight Paul Howes.

Lucy Howes is a senior RTA lawyer. The RTA alleged Ms Ganino used information obtained about her and other solicitors for personal gain.

Senior government sources last night admitted it was a "mystery" why the RTA pursued the case for so long at such a significant expense to the taxpayer.  [Personal animus?]

According to tender documents obtained by The Daily Telegraph, a contract for the RTA's legal defence provided by Minter Ellison was awarded in 2009 at a cost of $350,000.

The tender was amended in 2010 to a total cost of $1.15 million.

In its July 13 judgment, the IRC found in favour of Ms Ganino and said her sacking was not only unfair but "harsh". She was originally accused of accessing confidential documents relating to the pay of senior lawyers in the RTA and was sacked for misconduct.

More than 20 allegations of misconduct were levelled against Ms Ganino, including claims she was "insolent and disrespectful" towards general counsel. The RTA withdrew eight allegations.

In his findings, Commissioner Inaam Tabbaa said: "I find the nature of the misconduct contained in the remaining allegations relied on by the respondent was not sufficient to warrant the termination. I accept the applicant's submission that the penalty of dismissal is disproportionate and consider the termination to be harsh."

He also found that "Ms Vickers acknowledged in her evidence that her evidence was different to what was conveyed to the external investigator".

Ms Vickers was not responsible for Ms Ganino's sacking and was appointed acting general counsel at the RTA later in 2009.

Last night the Roads and Maritime Services, the department which has now incorporated the RTA, said the costs of the case would be determined in "separate proceedings".

It acknowledged Ms Ganino was to be reinstated to her former position "as soon as practicable" but did not confirm whether that had yet occurred.

"Helen Vickers was not the general counsel at the then RTA when Rosanna Ganino was dismissed and she did not terminate her employment," the RMS said in an issued statement.

Ms Vickers' own employment at the RTA had been the subject of a NSW Ombudsman's report in 2009 when staff and salary issues within the legal branch of the RTA were first raised.

The report raised concerns about a $640,500 contract to employ Ms Vickers for 12 months at the RTA, which the Ombudsman's report claimed was awarded without apparent documentation, tender, merit, selection process or consideration of potential "conflicts".

Ms Vickers is now general legal counsel to the new super-department, Transport for NSW.

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Queensland male nurse fined for throwing cup of water at patient

Queer behaviour!

A QUEENSLAND Health nurse has been reprimanded and ordered to pay $3500 in costs for momentarily losing control of his emotions and throwing a cup of water in a patient's face.

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal was told James Anthony Geary threw water into a female patient's face after she hurled her medication onto the floor during a "verbal exchange."

QCAT deputy president Fleur Kingham, in a just published five-page decision, said the incident occurred while Mr Geary, a Queensland Health employee, was working as a nurse in a mental health unit in September 2009.

Judge Kingham said Mr Geary has already faced "other consequences of his action" under the Public Service Act 2008, but that there were grounds to take further disciplinary action against him after a complaint from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

"However, it (the Tribunal) declines to impose (any further) sanction," she said.  "In the circumstances of this case, the Tribunal reprimands Mr Geary but imposes no other order, except that he pay the costs of the Board, fixed at $3500."

Judge Kingham said Mr Geary's actions were due to a momentary loss of control and that the patient later apologised to him.

"The incident involved a female patient in her mid 20s with a history of disruptive and aggressive behaviour," she said.  "In the past she had assaulted both other patients and staff.

The tribunal was told on the day of the incident, Mr Geary approached the patient with her medication and a cup of water.

"After some verbal exchange, the patient threw the medication to the floor ... (and) Mr Geary momentarily lost control of his emotions," Judge Kingham said.  "He threw the water into the patient's face ... (and) then picked up the medication and left the room.  "Later, the patient apologised to Mr Geary and he to her."

Judge Kingham said Mr Geary "bore a responsibility" to behave professionally in the face of the difficult and challenging behaviour.

"His response (to the patient) was not in self defence, nor was it a proportionate response to a verbal exchange," she said.  "Mental health nursing is a demanding occupation, but Mr Geary did not employ the strategies expected of those who care for such patients."

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Another Collins submarine bursts a hose and floods

Sounds like they should try a new hardware store

FRESH from sinking an old US warship during a major defence exercise off Hawaii, Australian submarine HMAS Farncomb has sprung a leak.

The incident occurred today as the Farncomb cruised at periscope depth operating its diesel engines to charge its batteries.

"HMAS Farncomb suffered a minor flood in one of the submarine's machinery spaces," the Australian Defence Force (ADF) said in a statement on Thursday.

Standard procedures were immediately executed and the situation was dealt with quickly.

The Farncomb surfaced as part of the normal response, with the problem traced to a split in a hose in the submarine's weight compensation system.

No one was hurt and the vessel has returned to Pearl Harbour in Hawaii to replace the hose.

There will be an investigation into the incident.

The ADF said major changes had been made to procedures and equipment on Collins submarines following a near disaster in 2003 when a hose on HMAS Dechaineux burst when the submarine was deep under water.

One change was the automation of closure of all hull valves should a similar situation arise. That has been installed on the Farncomb.

The vessel is participating in the major multinational Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.

It successfully fired a live Mark 48 torpedo against a decommissioned US navy vessel, the 12,106 tonne former USNS Kilauea.

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Dentist found guilty of injury still registered

A DENTIST who carried out nearly $75,000 worth of dental work on a patient - despite knowing it was unnecessary and would be ineffective - is still able to practise despite the NSW Supreme Court yesterday ordering him to pay more than $1.7 million in damages for intentional injury.

Mark Phung, whose practice is in the south-west suburb of Beverly Hills, saw patient Todd Dean 53 times in one year after Mr Dean was struck on the chin by a piece of wood in a workplace accident in 2001.

Though the court found Mr Dean suffered only "limited damage to a small number of otherwise healthy teeth" after his accident, Phung fitted all his teeth with metal crowns, performed numerous root canals and inserted bridging.

But despite the finding, Phung is still listed as "registered" by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency because the issue of his registration needs to be dealt with separately before the Dental Tribunal.

The court described Mr Dean's treatment as "entirely unnecessary and ineffective to address the plaintiff's problems" and said "the dentist must have known that to be so when he embarked on the course of 'treatment"'.

In a report tabled as evidence, consultant dentist Andrew Howe said: "All of Dr Phung's treatment for Mr Dean would be described as inexcusably bad and completely outside the bounds of what any reputable dental practitioner might perform."

After the court last year ordered Phung to pay almost $1.4 million in damages, he continued to practise. Yesterday's ruling upped those damages to nearly $1.8 million to account for non-economic costs to Mr Dean after Phung was found to have fraudulently represented procedures to him for financial gain and knowingly caused harm.

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